There are so many wonderful uses for this clean, crisp, high smoke point oil. But whenever I saw it on the market shelves or online, I wondered how it was made.
It seems that there are several large manufacturers who do a fabulous job of making it available to us all.
However, the individuals that amaze me most are the winemakers that lovingly carry out the painstaking task of creating grapeseed oil. They are literally squeezing oil out of a stone-hard seed.
Here’s something you’ll probably have some trouble wrapping your mind around:
1 ton of grapes = 1 bottle of grapeseed oil
Let me set the scene for you:
Consider that first they have to grow the grapes, often on considerably steep terrain, hiking up and down, up and down. They harvest by hand, holding five-gallon buckets, and have only forty-eight hours each year in which to do it.
Now that they have the grapes in hand, they commence the winemaking process.
The grapes are pressed and the juice is accumulated.
It is made into wine, and what’s left is called pomace. It includes the stems, pulp, skin, and seeds of the grapes.
The pomace is dried, and sifted by hand through metal sieves that are designed with holes just big enough for the tiny grape seeds to fall through.
But where is the oil? These seeds are tooth-breakingly hard.
Believe it or not, each little seed contains just a tiny bit of oil. They are placed in a bladder press, where the precious oil drizzles out. Yay!
Off to the bottling room…
If you are fortunate enough to get your hands on one of these special bottles, you are in luck. But a lot of people see grapeseed oil, buy it, and then they don’t know what to do with it.
Our Tips
Check out our tips for the best ways to use this excellent product in your own culinary endeavors:
1. Stir Frying
The beauty of this oil is that it has a light, clean flavor, which allows the vibrancy and freshness of your food to shine through.
It has a very high smoking point of 420°F, which makes it perfect for a sizzling hot wok.
2. Deep Frying
Light in flavor (some say flavorless) and with the ability to withstand high heat, it is wonderful for cooking fried fish, chicken, tempura, and yes, even pickles in a deep fryer.
3. Sautéing
This is where grapeseed oil shines. Its light color and body allow the color and flavor of your ingredients to be the star of the show.
4. Searing Meat
Because of its ability to get hot-hot-hot, getting a hard sear on your meat is easy.
Whether you finish your dish on the stovetop or in the oven, you will have caramelized brown perfection.
5. Roasting Vegetables
Most of us think of grabbing the olive oil to drizzle on our veggies for roasting, but sometimes you want their garden-fresh flavor to pop.
Try it with squash, broccoli, or leeks. Just add a light coat of oil onto the bottom of a good roasting pan, throw in your veggies, and stick in the oven, on top of the stove, or on the grill.
6. Salad Dressings
Grapeseed oil is wonderfully adaptable, and pairs with any flavor.
Try it in dressings with balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, or a honey base. Or use it as the base for a homemade herb-infused oil.
7. Grilling
Not only can you use it to grease your grill, you can even brush veggies, or anything else that you’re afraid might stick.
It makes a great addition to sauces and marinades for the barbecue, too.
I’m happy to say that, whether you are using a grapeseed oil varietal that comes straight from a European vineyard or a larger oil producer, it is readily available.
Foodal recommends La Tourangelle Grapeseed Oil, available from Amazon
It also comes in a variety of infused flavors that are perfect for quick salads, drizzling on crusty bread, or whatever your imagination inspires you to create.
I can hardly wait to hear about your grapeseed oil success stories – feel free to tell me all about them in the comments.
If you haven’t already, you really must try it now. Enjoy!
About Marla Tetsuka
As a professional chef, author of multiple cookbooks, and graduate of the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Marla brings a professional touch to the community that we call Foodal.
I had no idea that grapeseed oil could be used like any other cooking oil. I have a feeling that it is crazy expensive though.
Its available at many price points. Take a quick look at Amazon to compare. Consider how you might use it. A drizzle for a crusty bread or a bit for a quick sauté is well worth the result you’ll achieve.
Out here in California it’s pretty cheap. It’s not as cheap as vegetable oil, but better than olive oil, which is surprising. It also has a really nice flavor, and I highly recommend it in place of olive oil for salads and roasted vegetables. I’ve also heard that it’s very heart healthy and better than vegetable oil for people who have diabetes. Hispanic or Mexican grocery stores often carry it for a good price.
I just now saw it on the Costco online site: Ottavio Grapeseed Oil, 68 fl. oz. $7.99 with a $3.00 delivery fee unless you combine it with other second-day delivery items to total $75.00 or more to qualify for free delivery. I usually use Costco’s avocado oil but that entails waiting until we make the 60-mile trek to the nearest Costco warehouse, since they don’t offer it online. Next time I do a second-day delivery order, I’m going to try this grapeseed oil. I like that it has a high smoke point. In any event, after reading more about canola oil I’m constantly on the lookout for alternatives. (The last straw was when I found out that one of the last processes to manufacture canola oil is to deodorize it so it doesn’t totally stink up the joint.)
I’m always looking for new ways to change up the way that I sear meat. Even the subtlest of changes can make a great deal of difference in taste in the meat. I never considered using grapeseed oil in salad dressing. I admit, that sounds a bit odd. However, you never know until your try. It’s worth a shot anyway. Thanks for the ideas!
Glad to hear from you! Yes, I agree searing meat is paramount in ensuring richness of flavor and juiciness. Besides, who doesn’t light up when they see that glorious color? Please don’t feel shy using it in you salad dressings. Your vinegars, citrus, mustards will come out being a star and so will you.
I’ve wondered about this type of oil before when I’ve seen it at the store but I’ve never wanted to take a chance on it. For some reason I was under the impression that it had a strong flavor or was only good for very particular types of cooking. I had no idea it could be used in such a wide variety of applications; I think I’ll pick some up next time I see it and give it a try 🙂 I’ve been wanting to try deep frying lately so this is the perfect opportunity!
Oh my gosh. I felt the same way until I took the leap and tried it out. There is no strong flavor, if a flavor at all. That’s what makes it so transparently fabulous. Your fresh flavors will shine through! Go ahead and try it out. I would suggest familiarizing yourself with using a bit at a time and then yes, go for deep frying. Let me know about your adventures.
Wow, that’s a lot of seeds to get a bottle of oil. My mom has always recommended that I have some in the kitchen, but I could never get over that price. I agree it is fantastic, but it just doesn’t really fit into my budget to use more often.
When I think about those little seeds…it is mind blowing to think it takes a ton of grapes to gather enough for a single bottle. My mom was always right (so she taught me) and she was a fabulous cook. Try pricing out different purchasing options at your local market or at amazon. A little drizzle can do wonders!
I just recently got into using this. I love it for frying different foods….I might like it a little better than peanut oil actually. It was introduced to me on a blog and it caught my eye because it seemed a bit more natural than the other oils I usually use. It is also good for a skin moisturizer and a bath oil…so I have used it for these purposes as well.
Wow! It’s inspiring to know that you have used it for deep frying. I am sure that you will encourage so many other Foodal readers who have been wondering about this. I’ll bet you have the best crispy crunch in town. And good for you for exploring its many other uses. Thanks for sharing.
To be honest I wasn’t sure about using this oil because of how it may taste. Now that I know it can be used in many other ways, I may try it, as I like to use different oils in pasta or noodle salads. I also like to roast vegetables with oil rather than butter, and maybe I could try it with potatoes?
This is a wonderful choice for roasting vegetables! You’ll really enjoy the fresh taste it brings out. Potatoes should work well too. Give it a try.
Only a few days ago I finally learned how essential oils were used, the variations and specifications of them, and still, I had no idea that grapeseed oil existed, and it seems such a long process for a small amount of money!
I really liked how you can basically make the best of it in a lot of different foods. The only thing that I didn’t like about the other oils is that they only had really limited use, mostly in deserts, and even if at the end of the day, it’s worth it, I still would prefer to have more variation, and this one feels perfect when it comes to that aspect.
Thanks for sharing!
1 ton of grapes = 1 bottle of grapeseed oil
How many ounces is the bottle?
Thanks for your question, John! Maybe this was a bit of an oversimplification on the part of the author. Nonetheless, since the oil comes from the seeds and is usually a byproduct of winemaking, it isn’t an exaggeration- about a ton of grapes is required to make one 8-oz bottle.
I love grapeseed oil. I prefer it over olive oil. I use it on a daily basis. I like because its flavor does not compete with the flavor you are cooking or adding on as flavoring to your recipe. It actually helps enhance the flavor of your dish. It is a little cheaper than olive oil and a little pricier than the vegetable oils, but worth every penny.
I was just wondering if I got a good deal on a 25.3 fl oz bottle of grapeseed oil I was able to purchase for $5.99?
Costco has the giant bottle for $7.00. The small bottle is over $7.00 in grocery stores. This oil is amazing.
I’ve been looking for a light tasting oil that isn’t overly industrially processed. Grapeseed oil is now going to be my go to oil.
How do you store grapeseed oil? Fridge?
Hi, Kay! Like most cooking oils, grapeseed oil is fine stored in a dry space at room temperature away from direct sunlight and away from any heat sources, like your stove. Heat, sunlight, and humidity all have a negative affect on cooking oils. I like to store my oils in a dark pantry, or on a shelf in a cupboard.
Thanks so much Marla, this article is so useful!